Segelyachten

Sailing Yachts: The Smallest Scale, the Closest to the Sea

Our sailing yacht programme brings together a selection of ocean-going yachts carrying between four and twelve guests, operated by professional skippers and crew on itineraries across the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and beyond. These are not motor sailers where sail is incidental, nor converted fishing boats: they are purpose-built or purpose-fitted sailing yachts whose primary means of propulsion is the wind, and whose skippers are professional sailors who know the waters they operate in.

At this scale, the relationship between the guest and the sea is entirely different from anything available on a larger vessel. The yacht heels. The spray reaches the cockpit in a following sea. At anchor in a quiet bay, the silence is complete. The passage from one island to the next is something the guest experiences as a physical journey rather than a time interval between ports.

What to Expect on Board

Life on a sailing yacht is governed by space and by weather. Cabins are compact – typically private double or twin berths with a shared or en-suite head – and the saloon is the communal living and dining space for the whole group. Meals are prepared by the crew or, on smaller vessels, shared between guests and skipper according to the voyage’s character. Provisioning happens in port, with local markets supplying the day’s cooking.

On deck, guests are free to take the helm, trim a sheet, or simply sit in the cockpit and watch the passage unfold. Participation is welcome at every level from complete novice to experienced sailor. The professional crew handles all navigational decisions and sail handling; guests participate as much or as little as they choose.

Swimming stops in quiet anchorages, snorkelling, kayaking from the stern, and evening drinks at anchor are part of the daily rhythm rather than organised excursions. The programme adapts continuously to conditions: a beautifully sheltered bay discovered en route may become the night’s anchorage even if it was not in the original plan.

The Sailing Experience Itself

On a well-found sailing yacht in a good breeze, the boat works as an integrated system: helm, sails, hull, and keel balancing against each other through every shift in the wind. The experience of this – particularly on a close reach with the rail low and the boat moving fast and quietly – is specific to sailing and cannot be replicated on a motor vessel of any quality. We believe this is one of the reasons guests who sail once on our yachts tend to return to the format rather than reverting to motor vessels.

Destinations

Our sailing yacht programme operates principally in the Mediterranean: the Greek islands (Ionian, Aegean, Dodecanese), the Turkish Aegean and Lycian coast, Croatia and the Dalmatian islands, the Balearics, and Corsica and Sardinia. Atlantic programmes cover Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Azores, and occasionally the Cape Verde Islands. Voyage duration ranges from long weekends of three to four nights to two-week itineraries covering a significant coastal arc.

Why We Recommend Sailing Yacht Voyages

For guests who want to be genuinely at sea rather than passing through it, a sailing yacht voyage is the most direct expression of what sailing travel is. The size, the pace, the flexibility, and the intimacy with the environment cannot be replicated at any larger scale. We match guests to the right vessel and skipper based on experience, group size, and destination preference.